Before Seven
by xXAi no Jibaku SouchiXx
Summary: Fred hides Hermione after she pulls a prank on Draco.


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, if I did, it would have had a better ending...

This technically isn't mine. I read this story and I liked the mood, so I rewrote it, so I'm taking the idea from this story... The Good News and it was written by Kaimaru go read the original.

\(U)/

"Hermione?"

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin at hearing her name just behind her. She spun around, unable to prevent the guilty blush enflaming her cheeks as she acknowledged that she had just been caught. Fred Weasley stood in front of her, but was missing his twin. He was giving her a look of utter disbelief.

In all her life, Hermione had never known any Gryffindor besides herself to be up this early in the morning. It was barely seven, and it was early even by her standards. Apparently his too. His long hair had that 'I just woke up' look to it, his light blue button up shirt, un-tucked, his brown sweater vest thrown over it while the top buttons were left undone. Bloody hell, of all the people to catch her doing something so extravagantly irresponsible- Why one of the two biggest pranksters in Hogwarts? She groaned mentally.

Hermione struggled to collect herself and said the first thing that popped in her head.

"G' Morning." She mentally smacked herself.

Smooth. Not suspicious at all, she winced.

The sound of her voice seemed to break his trance, however. A slow, languid, almost devious, grin appeared on his lips and as he took a step toward her and bent slightly to her level. He met her eyes and whispered. "I don't believe it. Did you, Miss Authority have-no-fun Hermione, just set up a revengeful plan against the Slytherins?" he gave her a look of curiosity.

"O-Of course not. I would never do such a thing."

"So you coincidentally knew when and where the Slytherins would find their little surprise? Come now, 'Mione. Try a little harder than that." He was grinning cheekily.

That "thing" happened to a box of snapper dragons laid out in the corridor, an invisibility spell placed on it, and Draco with his small posse, on their way to breakfast. Hermione had been hiding behind the corner of the corridor, watching her plan unfold, smothering her giggles in a most obvious way, when the Weasley Twin must have caught sight of her. She had spent last night planning on how she would get Malfoy back. Normally, Hermione would never have done such a thing, But Malfoy and she had had a particularly bad row where it simply hadn't seemed sufficient to go to the teachers for a punishment. Hermione had settled upon herself to teach the boy a lesson. Anyways. Draco and his three companions were now running to Pomfrey's, dragons attached by teeth to their ankles and robes.

She huffed, turning away from him. "You think I, of all people, would pull a prank?" She replied.

"Frankly? No." He chuckled. "I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen your poor attempt at trying to not look suspicious a minute ago."

"I wasn't that bad." she fought back.

"You were laughing." He interrupted pointedly. "You would have been rushing over to help and would've ruined the fun. The prankster, would be laughing as his plan plays out."

She lifted her eyebrow. "Just because I go by the rules, doesn't mean I haven't a sense of humor!" She glared.

He lifted his hands in a surrendering position in front of him, "Touché." He assented.

"What are you doing up this early anyway?" She said, hoping to change the subject.

"Looking for you." He replied easily. She stared at him.

"What?" She replied oh-so intelligently.

"I was--"

She interrupted. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I saw you heading out this morning and I was curious. Took forever and a day to find you, I'll have you know."

"But it's seven. You're a Weasley." She stressed his name. "You're never up before seven."

"Couldn't sleep."

A small grin formed on her lips.

"Try a little harder than that."

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." He challenged, leaning closer.

Hermione opened her mouth to reply when Draco's voice burst from the hall, startling her. "I'm going to kill who ever did this!" Several footsteps echoed through the hall and Hermione paled as they sounded as if they were coming towards them. Oh no! They couldn't escape, not without Draco seeing them. Knowing him, he wouldn't take this threat lightly. Hermione turned panicked eyes on Fred who looked calm as he met her frantic gaze. Any second now, Draco would come around the corner and-

Resting his forearm against the stone wall above her head, Fred leaned forward and shielded her from the Slytherins view.

"Thank me later?" He whispered. Hermione looked up at him as Draco furiously swept by.

Hermione was completely out of view, hidden from him and his adherents as they followed him back to the Slytherin common room. Hermione exhaled audibly. Fred straightened.

"Thanks. I must admit, I am new to this." she crossed her arms over her green jacket and looked up at him. "I had a fight with him and he went too far. I had to do something. Get him back in someway. So this morning is a result of that." Fred laughed lightly and placed his hands on his hips.

'The reason why I'm up is really because I couldn't sleep. I was on my way to get food, and saw you looking oh-so-sneaky and decided to investigate." he gave her a big grin, and added, "I could give you lessons you know. In prank pulling and revenge getting."

She smiled and laughed.

"I'm sure you're an expert on those things but, I'm hoping this shall be the last time I flex these , ah, prankster muscles." Fred frowned.

"That's a shame, I think you have a knack for it." his stomach grumbled audibly." I think I'm going to get that food now... want to join me, since you're up anyways?" he stood back into the hallway. Hermione followed him and they went to eat breakfast.


End file.
